Time to Listen

 On Sunday the National Football League players decided not to participate in the playing of the National Anthem. Many fans felt that they were disrespecting the National Anthem and the flag of the United States.

The reason I am saying many fans because often when people are protesting or giving out their opinions it is done primarily by the minority though it sounds like the majority. The players most likely would not have done what they did if it were not for what President Trump wrote on Twitter before the games on Sunday.

Before Sunday only a few players didn’t participate in the playing of the National Anthem. For example my local team the Seattle Seahawks Michael Bennett decided not to stand at attention during the National Anthem. I know it upset many fans of the Seahawks or at least that was impression because again the minority often sounds like the majority. Besides Bennett was expressing himself on how he had been treated by the police when he was in New Orleans for the Merriweather fight.

Most of the players in the NFL are black while majority of the fans are white and all my friends on Facebook said that they would never watch or go to another NFL game are white. Personally my reaction has been that those speaking out are overreacting however now thinking further they are reacting. Although I love hearing the playing of the National Anthem I guess that I never thought of it as serious as others have. Other words if they stopped playing the National Anthem at sporting events I would miss it but I would not be that upset. I am not sure whether I am writing this in a way that you may understand.

In the end though my thoughts is that everyone needs to listen instead of speaking their opinions; the black players or in fact blacks in general feel that they are always being singled out when treated by the police for their skin color and I am sure they are right or at the very least it is their perception which in my mind is the same thing. Whites on the other hand need to realize that they haven’t walked in the shoes of a black man. I am talking about whites like myself who are not racist. Those who are racist is a whole other thing and should not be tolerated.

So I am encouraging that all parties whether players or fans settle down and listen. Who knows we may all learn a thing or two. One thing I do know the direction that the citizens of the United States and most likely the world is not a good thing. So again like I have mentioned a time or two we must think before speaking. In the meantime have yourself another great day.